Unappreciated
by NirvanaFreakSC
Summary: Summer has been Marissa's friend forever. But does Marissa appreciate her? It's not as hokey as it sounds. First oc fic, set in Seson 2, SS. Oh, it's gotten crazy up in here!IT IS FINISHED!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Don't own it.

AN: This is my first attempt at an O.C. fic, also my first post. It's not, hopefully, a one-shot, I wanna write a series. It's SS, by the by. Review, please!

Unappreciated

Chapter 1

Confessions About A Friend

"There's this pressure coming down on me. I can't take it for much longer. She's asking, without out really asking, for too much. But every time I can't help her, I feel so guilty, like it's all my fault she's the way she is, you know?" The girl, at the tender age of seventeen, sitting in the chair, sighed. "Marissa's the type of girl who can make you feel really shitty for having a doc's appointment after school when she's in need of… reassurance."

"Reassurance?" The owl-eyed man, sitting at his oak desk in front of the girl asked.

"Yeah, like, telling her that she's totally in the right, that she's the most popular girl in school, that _every_one wants to _be_ her. That kind of reassurance. She just really wants to always be right, always be perfect, always wants others to think she's perfect."

"Summer, have you told her how you feel?"

"No. I can't."

"Why can't you?"

"She'll find a way to make me feel guilty."

The doctor sighed. He opened the folder on his desk and wrote something in it, while Summer watched intently. Then the doctor leafed through a few pages and stopped at a particular one, eyeing it skeptically.

"What about Seth? Have you talked to him since July?"

"Seth's back, actually." Summer said, in a low, hushed, voice. She looked down at her black jeans with a bit of a wear in them.

"You never mentioned that."

"Yeah, I'm trying not to think about it so much."

"Maybe you should?"

"I have Zach now." She stated as if she just realized it was true.

"But…"

"There _is_ no but. Seth is my ex. Zach is my current, that's it."

But that wasn't true. As much as Summer Roberts would like to deny it, Seth Cohen was _always_ on her mind. He never left, every little thing she looked at, heard, or said, reminded her in some way of him. She knew it, just like she knew she was using Zach to try and forget him. Seth Cohen was unforgettable, though. When she saw him that first day of school, she nearly passed out. She knew he would come back, of course. But it was still a surprise. She tried to ignore him, she really did. But she couldn't, obviously. She couldn't help but laugh at his nervous rants. It was one of those quirks that made him undeniable, like he had once called her. He had a way of making her forget why she was ever mad at him in the first place, but she always ended up remembering. Only, sometimes she really wanted to forget.

Then there was Zach. He was sweet. Popular. Hot. But not Cohen. And that's the reason why it would never work out. But she wouldn't dump because of Seth. Because if she broke up with Zach, Cohen would think she did it because she wanted him back. Even if that was semi-true. Yep, that was Summer's logic. But there was no way in _hell_ she was going to give that stupid, idiotic explanation to her two-hundred-and-fifty dollar on hour shrink. He would just think she was stupid.

_Oh, thank god. Five minutes, _Summer thought to herself.

"Maybe you should think about that a little more."

"I'll think about it, Doc." She didn't care that he hated that title, it made the situation easier.

"Well, Summer, that marks the end of our session." The doctor paused for a minute, than looked towards Summer, who was almost at the door of his office. "You should tell Marissa how you feel. A true friend should never make you feel that way."

_Seth never did. _


	2. Chapter 2

Thnx for the reviews!

Italics equal thoughts.

AN: Okay, pretend Julie Cooper, Nichol, Whatever, already knew about DJ before school started and that Ryan never knew about DJ.k?

Chapter 2

Phone Calls From A Boyfriend

She hadn't seen Marissa at school today. They had first, third, fourth, and seventh together. They didn't have lunch together this year, Summer had lunch with Zach…and Seth. That rarely went un-awkward. It was okay today, Seth had left as soon as he finished eating, which was like in five minutes. He only sat with them because Ryan and Lindsay sat there. She didn't even know why Chino and New Girl sat there, she wasn't really friends with Chino. They just had common ex-es. They did have a lot in common though: absentee parents, alcoholic friend, a knack for always trying to be the hero. Yet they never really got along. _Hmm, I guess it is true, opposites attract. _

Summer was lying on her back staring at the little scratch mark she had made when she was eight with her Spice Girls microphone while trying to imitate one of their dance moves. She also managed to get a nasty cut on her head that needed four stitches. She should have sued. She was startled out of her reminiscent mood by the Hokey Pokey tune of her phone.

"Hello?" She said as she answered her phone.

"Hey, babe."

"Zach, hi. What's up?" Summer turned on her cheery façade and took a deep breath.

"I was wondering what you were up to tonight?"

Oh god, she did not feeling going out tonight with him. He was… nice. But when they started making out he was a little rough, he didn't hurt her, but she could tell he was getting impatient with her. They hadn't slept together, they hadn't gone past second base. It just didn't feel right. Not to mention she always thought of Seth when they started making out. That was definetly _not_ a good sign.

"I'm sorry Zach, I have like tons of homework tonight." She bit her lip hoping he wouldn't push it.

"What's going on with you lately? You've been so different since school started. Since Seth Cohen came back. You know, I don't like to be played, Summer. If you're using me I'd really appreciate it if you just told me!" His voice rose slightly with every word. He has a bit of a bad temper.

"No, Zach, that's not it. I've just been totally overloaded with work. The teachers are really packing it on this year." _No, they aren't, I've barely had any work, but Zach doesn't need to know that._

"Oh, well, alright. I think I'll go to Holly's party then. Come if you get done early."

"Don't count on it. I'll see you tomorrow. Have fun tonight."

"I will. Have fun doing your homework." _Okay, I tasted the bitterness in that. _

"B-" Dial tone. "ye… Ass."

Frustrated, Summer picked up her phone and threw it against her wall knocking down a picture frame with a picture of her and Marissa that shattered in a thousand pieces, unaware of it's symbolism of a broken friendship.

She scrambled off her bed but tripped over one of her Choos and landed in the area of broken glass that looked like thousands of diamonds. She had reacted fast and threw her arms in front of her breaking her fall so that her beauty queen face wouldn't become speckled with crimson. Only her hands would.

Sitting on her floor, she stared at the beads of blood forming on her hand, enamored by how shiny it was and how un-morbid it was. It felt… good. Everything she had been thinking about had just disappeared, now all that mattered was that her hand was turning crimson. Well, that was until her thoughts were interrupted by Marissa's incessant banging on her door!

"What?!" Summer yelled, as she went to her bathroom to clean off her cuts which had just started to sting.

"Summer! I _need_ to talk to you!!" Marissa's sobs were muffled by the door.

_I do not need this right now!!!_ But she still dried off her aching hands and opened her door for her once best friend.

Marissa stumbled in, drunk as hell, mumbling incoherently. Something about DJ, Ryan, a bed and her mom. Summer really hoped they weren't in bed together, cause… well, ew.

"Marissa! Stop! Just stop, and speak!" You'd think she was talking to a five year old.

"My mom walked in on me and Ryan making out on my bed." Sob. "A-a-and then she, she went b-ballistic, yelling at me calling me a slut, that I was ch-cheating on DJ and then Ryan asked who DJ was and then my mom told him! And then he walked out and he won't answer his phone! S-Sum!! I don't know what to do!!?"

"God, Mariss, with what? It's your fault! You should have told Ryan about DJ and DJ about Ryan and your mother about Ryan and DJ!"

"But, no, Summer. Help me! I don't know what to do! My life is so screwed up! You're my best friend, Sum! Your _supposed_ to help me! I would help you! You know I would!"

Summer stared in disbelief at her while she rambled on and on about the value and _obligations_ of friendship. That was enough.

"_Shut up!!_" Summer yelled and Marissa whipped her head to look at her. "You are _the _most selfish person I have ever met! You have done shit for me, Marissa!! All you did this summer was get drunk and complain about Ryan and your new daddy dearest! I lost something too, Marissa! I lost the only guy I have ever loved! I was in pain too! But I looked after your drunk ass all summer, not to mention your whole fucking life! I'm sick of it! I can't play your fucking hero anymore! And I have no idea how Ryan does it!"

"I knew you were mean. But I never knew you were a flat out b_itch_! I'm selfish? Hypocrite!" Marissa tried to retaliate, but her words came out all slurred.

"Get out, Marissa." Summer's voice was cold. It startled Marissa, but she left, with a little trouble.

Summer dropped to the floor, her body wracking with tears. Her last thought before falling asleep, curled up on her bedroom floor, a mere foot away from the glass from a now shattered friendship, was _I wish Seth were here. _

Okay, wow, kinda nervous about this one. Hope you guys like it.


	3. Chapter 3

Hey, hey. Seriously, the reviews are awesome. Seth is in this chap. Yay!

Chapter 3

He Made Her Better

Seth was sitting beside her in their Earth Science Lab class. It was making Summer kind of jittery. He had his hair messy, well, when wasn't it? But he hadn't combed it, she loved it like that, just natural, out of bed look. Damn sexy. He still had a morning shadow, he obviously woke up late. His eyes were slightly bloodshot, and he had bags under his eyes, but for some reason, he looked gorgeous. All she wanted to do was drag him to the janitor's closet and have her way with him. They did that once. It was a Tuesday during study hall, yeah, true rebels, huh? They had lunch before and decided to ditch study hall and made their way to the AV closet. No one ever went there. Like ever. They participated in a heavy make out session and didn't notice when the lights came on and two super-geeks were gawking at them. If they hadn't been super-geeks, Summer would have been beyond embarrassed.

Summer, shaken out of her thoughts by Seth, jumped.

"Geez, Cohen, like give me a heart attack!"

"Uh, Summer? The bell rang." As if she could feel any stupider.

"Oh, ok." She packed her things while Seth waited for her, as they had the next class together. They practically had the same schedule, except she had yoga and he had gym. She was still a bit jumpy, and unfortunately for her Seth noticed.

"Are you ok? You're like all… jumpy. Not the good kind of jumpy, either. Like, there's something wrong jumpy. So, are you? Okay, I mean?" _Aww, he's rambling. Could be anymore perfect? _She smiled at him.

"I'm fine, Seth." And she was, simply because he made her okay. She was no longer jumpy. It was amazing how he could calm her like that, without even knowing he was doing it. He made everything better. Zach, well, he didn't. He only made her feel … nothing.

Marissa was shooting glares across the class room at Summer. And to help matters, Seth also noticed.

"Why does Marissa look constipated?" Seth, leaned over and not so subtly whispered in her ear. Ignoring the shivers that ran down her spine, she laughed and answered the question.

"She's not constipated, Cohen! She's glaring at me!"

"Oh, and why? Did you try to feed her?"

"Cohen!" Laughing her ass off, she almost fell off her chair, but quickly recovered after seeing her Study Hall advisor shoot daggers at her. "I told her off yesterday. So, she's pissed at me."

"_You _told her off?! Go you! I've been waiting for the day! Oh my god! We should, like celebrate! We can mark the day on the calendar, and go get like a sundae, or a twist, as I know you prefer!"

"I don't know if I'm for the marking the day but a twist sounds good."

Suddenly, things got serious, and Seth stopped laughing. Summer not sure what happened stopped also. Then, he smiled the sweetest smile she had ever seen. He didn't look tired anymore, his eyes were no longer bloodshot, and the bags under his eyes had disappeared. She smiled back, and they locked eyes for a minute. Seth spoke first, and she was glad.

"So, what do you say, twist? Today after school? I'll meet you out front?" He was kind of nervous.

"That sounds good. But you're buying!"

She was standing at his car, waiting for him. She was so nervous, her hands were actually shaking. She didn't know why she had agreed to this! It just slipped out, and she couldn't cancel now. But he was so adorable when he asked, and the eye contact they shared! How could she have said no?

"Hey, Summer!"

_Oh, god._ Summer turned around and visibly winced.

"Hi, Zach." He came and hugged her and leaned in for a kiss, but Summer moved her head to the side so he only caught her cheek.

"Are you ready?"

"What?"

"The movies? Remember?"

"I- oh, I forgot, Zach. I made plans with-" Summer answered flustered, not knowing how to answer.

"Heya, Sum." Seth walked up casually. Turned his head to Zach and nodded. "Zach."

"You made plans with Cohen?" Zach stated, obviously pissed.

"Yeah. I'm sorry Zach. We were talking, and then we made plans-"

"Plans? Plans to what? Screw your ex when you have a new boyfriend?" Zach had been talking loudly, not quite yelling, but loud enough to cause a scene.

"Hey, man, c'mon. We were just going to grab something to eat. Take it easy." Seth stepped in between Summer and Zach, but was actually pretty terrified that this water polo jock that shaves his chest was going to beat him to a bloody pulp.

"This has nothing to do with, asshole." Zach shoved him to the side.

"Zach! Just calm down!" Summer exclaimed.

"Shut up, Summer."

Ryan had been walking by along side Marissa. They had been talking about the night before, it wasn't going to well, Ryan was just not going to take her stuff. Seeing Zach, Summer and Seth in a heated argument, he walked towards them cautiously and happened to hear Zach telling Newport's queen to shut up.

"Hey, hey. Chill out." Ryan said, placing his hands on Zach's shoulders and slightly pushing him back, not in a threatening way, just to try and cool him off. But Zach, having other plans, pushed Ryan out of the way and moved towards Seth and jutted out a swift left hook to Seth's jaw. Seth's face flew to the side and he stumbled a bit but didn't fall.

Summer, watching the whole scene play out, walked over to Zach and pushed him as hard as she could, which in turn made him fall.

"Asshole! What is your problem?"

"At least I'm not a slut!'

"Oh, great comeback!" Summer paused for a minute, realizing everything that had happened in the past five months. "Oh my god! I can't believe I went out with you!"

"Yeah, well not anymore!" Zach, who was standing now, said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "And you're a lousy lay!" He called back towards them as he walked away.

Seth totally surprised by his statement stared at Summer in disbelief. _She couldn't have slept with that asshole, could she? _Seth thought to himself.

"I didn't even sleep with you, jerk!" Summer yelled. _Oh, thank god, she didn't._

Most of the kids cleared out after the fight, Summer had noticed. She couldn't believe he had the nerve to say those things. She was usually a good judge of character, well not so much. But she could usually smell those asshole jocks from a mile away. But Zach had seemed so… nice and normal. But that was one of their games: act all nice and all boy next door and use that to get you in to bed. Summer was shaken out of her shock, by Seth asking her if she was okay.

"Me? What about you? You're the one that got decked!" Summer laughed.

"Oh, that? That was nothing." He said stone faced. "Except it really hurts when I talk."

"Aww!" Summer reached up and pinched his cheek as if he were five. Of course he had a look of distaste on his face.

"Hey, man, what was that about?" Ryan asked. Marissa was behind them wanting to hear the story but not willing to really ask and forgive Summer for the horrible things she had said to her. (feelin' the sarcasm, anyone?)

"It was my fault. I forgot I had made plans with Zach and then made plans with Seth, Zach just totally blew up."

"Sum, that was totally not your fault, he was being a total asshole. It was _not _your fault." Seth told her in the softest and most reassuring voice she had ever heard, and it made her melt. But she didn't quite believe him.

"It's just if I had remembered…"

Marissa had enough.

"Summer, Seth is totally right, it wasn't your fault. You're allowed to have friends, and, no matter what, Seth is one of your closest friends even if you guys have a history. And Zach was annoying anyway. Better off without that loser." After lifting that off her chest, Marissa shifted uncomfortably under the gaze of three of the closest people in her life.

"Thanks, Mariss." Summer whispered softly. In that simple exchange, it broke the tension between them. But they both knew that had to talk, and neither of them were looking forward to it.

"So, Sum. What do you say to that twist now?" Seth asked, breaking the silence.

"I say yes to something to eat and then a twist. And a sundae for you." Summer smiled up at her hero.

Ryan was looking oddly at them, as if to say "Oh, no, it's happening again." Not that he had ever doubted it or anything. He knew they would get back together, he just didn't think it would've taken this long.

"Alright, well, I'm going to head back home, Seth. Are you taking the car?"

"Uh, Summer?"

"I got a ride with Zach this morning."

"I can drive you home."

"Uh, thanks, Marissa." And with that the two awkward-never-right couple stalked off.

"So, are we ready, your Majesty?" Seth offered her his arm. And she gladly took it.

_Yep, my hero. _

Wow, that was the longest I've ever written for a story, I'm going to try to break it, lol. Ok, some of this is a little hokey, but whatever. Hope ya enjoyed.


	4. Chapter 4

Sorry bout the not so quick update, school just started up again, ew. Here it is Chapter 4. Hope ya'll like.

Chapter 4

Why

He was sitting across from her, munching down on his hot fudge sundae. He had a drop of fudge on his lower lip and was completely oblivious to it, and Summer was trying her hardest not to crack up. She was almost on the verge of tears. Normally it wouldn't be that funny, but Seth just kept talking about the latest issue of Legion. It wasn't until a waitress walked by and asked Seth if he needed a napkin.

"Sum! What the hell?! How long has it been there?" Seth takes rapidly while wiping at his mouth, but not quite getting it all off. "Did I get it? Is it still there? Did anybody else notice??"

"I don't know, Cohen, I don't have eyes at the back of my head. And no you didn't get it." Summer answered his idotic questions. Still laughing her ass off, of course. He just looked so helpless, desperately trying to wipe the messy dessert topping off, she almost felt sorry for him. Almost.

They had gone to the Crab Shack after the whole Zach debacle. They didn't talk about it, mostly because Summer didn't want to. She was tired of talking about important things, she did that at therapy, right now she wanted to forget about therapy, Zach, her jumbled feelings toward Seth, Marissa, her dad, her stepmother, right now she just wanted to have fun and laugh. Something Seth always knew how to do. That's one reason why.

"So… uh, are you-are you, like, okay?" Seth asked nervously after a few moments of silence. "About, the whole, afternoon thing? I mean, emotionally? And all?"

That was another reason why. He cared if she was okay.

"We… weren't really that serious, you know? He was… he was my-my rebound guy."

Summer answered in a low whispered voice, Seth had to strain to her. He was, no doubtfully, surprised by her answer.

"Oh."

"Yeah."

Now, things were awkward. _Damn Zach. _

"Are _you _ok?" Summer asked for the second time that day.

"I believe we went over this. It hurts to speak."

And he was funny, sweet, sensitive, charming, gorgeous, respectable, etc. He was every good thing in the book. He was _the _perfect guy, and nobody except her knew it.

"Than why are you still talking? 'Cause, god knows, the world would be safer if you wouldn't."

"Oh, oh, buuuurn!" Seth laughed. "Your words are fire! You could break a man with your words!"

"Well, good thing for you, you aren't a man." Summer said stone faced.

"Again! You. Are. On. A. Roll!" He accentuated his words by snapping his fingers after each word.

Summer was lying on her back on her bed, staring up at the ceiling, thinking. Seth had dropped her off about half an hour ago after they had finished their ice creams. She was just replaying the events of today in her mind. She had had so much fun with Cohen, even with the whole Zach thing. He didn't make her feel uncomfortable, he made her feel like… her. Like she was normal, and beautiful, and the most important person in the world. He made her feel those things by just looking at her. By loving her. She knew he loved her, he had only said it once, well not said it, but written it in the note he had left her before he sailed away. She didn't know if she loved him, because she'd never loved anyone, well except for her dad, and he doesn't count. But he made her feel like no one else had.

But he also mad her angry. Pissed. Depressed. Weepy. And Summer Roberts was _not_ weepy. When he left her with that stupid note, she had cried for days and wouldn't come out of her room for weeks. She just didn't understand why he had left her. Was she not good enough? Not pretty enough? Not worth it? Even though the note had reassured her it was none of those things, she still couldn't help but wonder if maybe it had been.

Summer got up from her bed and walked over to her closet, opened the door and walked into the overly large closet which was filled with designer labels, and crouched down in front of a cabinet and opened the bottom drawer, and pulled out a stack of papers. They were all notes from people; Marissa, her dad, her mom, her step-mother, ex-boyfriends, even a few from Luke and Holly. And Seth. There was nothing special about them, some were notes she had passed around with her friends in class over the years, others were just notes around the house left by her dad. But the Seth notes were special, there was 'the' one, and then there were notes from class, which were always a laugh riot. But 'the' note, was crumpled, and almost tearing at some parts from her reading it so often. There was a time over the summer, where she didn't leave the house without, simply because of one line: _I love you._ It was stupid, but she thought it she had kept it with her he would come back. That was until she broke out of her self deprecating shell and went to one of Holly's infamous parties, where she met Zach. Truth is, she only went out with Zach because, in a way, he reminded her of Seth, he liked comic books and he was cute and funny. But she covered that up by saying he was, like, the 'total anti-Cohen'. It was kind of true though, Zach was boring. Not that funny and not as cute as Cohen. And Cohen knew way more about comic books than Zach did, so, ew.

She hadn't read the letter since he had come back.

_Dear Summer,_

_I don't know how to say this, Sum. I'm leaving. I don't know when or even if I'm going to come back. I am so sorry, Summer. Know that. And as I'm writing this, I have no idea why I'm leaving Newport. Well, that's not true, I do. Before Ryan came I was nobody, you know that. And then suddenly I had a brother and a friend, and then I was getting other friends and then I got you. And now that Ryan's gone, I just know that everything else will disappear too. And I just can't do that again. I can't go through that pain again. You'll realize I'm still a nobody and I always will be a nobody and you'll dump me, and I won't be able to get through that because I love you. I have ever since I first met you, which you probably won't remember, we were in the school playground we were, like, five or something, it was my first day, and you were sitting on a bench and I was on the slide and I looked over towards you and our eyes met and you smiled at me, I smiled back, and in the process forgot that I was on a slide and I, well, I fell off and scraped my knee. Yeah, not my brightest moment. But from that second that you smiled at me? It had always been about you. I love you, Summer, I'm _in_ love with you. Don't get scared, it's not something to be scared about. God, you're the only thing that could make me stay, but I have to go, I have to get away. I'm sorry. _

_Love, _

_Seth_

She had tears in her eyes. _God, I'm so pathetic,_ she laughed at herself. She was sitting in her closet, partially leaning against her clothes and partially leaning against the wall. She was in a total daze, staring at an invisible mark on the wall. You know when you try to think about nothing, like, absolutely nothing, you can't? And then when you should be thinking about something you aren't? _I'm turning into Cohen! With the rambling of the nothing-ness!_

Summer hurriedly stood up and walked into her bedroom. Letter still clutched in her hand, she paced her room, wracking her brain, for something, anything to think about!

Seth Cohen was bored. He had been playing Grand Theft Auto San Andres ever since he

had come home after dropping Summer off at her house. Ryan was out, somewhere with Marissa. What the hell was going on with them? What the hell was going on with everybody? Summer and Marissa were fighting. Ryan and Marissa were fighting. He was so out of the loop. And it did not feel cool.

Today, was crazy. His face really did hurt. Zach packed a mean punch. He hoped Summer was really okay. She was a good liar, you know. She's the kind of girl that it's hard to tell if she was okay. But Seth knew she would eventually be okay. But he sooo wanted to kick Zach's ass, but wouldn't because… well, have you seen the guy?! He would so beat Seth into a bloody pulp!

Maybe he'd have Ryan beat him up? God and Moses know, Zach deserves it, after what he said to Summer. Mind you, Seth was just a _little _bit happy that they were over. Okay, he was _really_ happy they were over. Seth still loved her, never stopped. And now that her boyfriend was now gone, he could step up to the plate. He hoped.

Summer was now taking a shower, relaxing. Sure, people say baths are more relaxing but Summer preferred showers. She was thinking about Seth. Everything he meant to her, everything he'd done for her in the past. He single handedly changed her. She had been this bitch that 'slept around', which was so not true, by the by, but after Seth she changed, she started to care about things other than herself or her popularity status. Then, it hit her. She loved him. She loved Seth Cohen.

_Oh, my god, I love him._

Hey! I beat my record! Ok, so some of the stuff in there was kind of cheesy and not that greatly written, but w/e. Hope you guys liked it!


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Hurt

_Oh, my god. I can't do this! I cannot tell him. Oh, my god! What am I doing?! _Summer thought to herself nervously, okay, frantically. Well, why wouldn't she be? She was standing outside his front door, right now! And she had already rang the doorbell so she had to stay, because if she didn't she would totally be embarrassed if Seth or Ryan or one of the Cohen's saw her running out to her ca- The door opened.

"Summer? What are you doing here?" Ryan stood in the doorway, clad in only boxers and a wifebeater, looking slightly disheveled.

"Aren't you going to, like, invite me in?" Summer cocked her head to the side and waited. Ryan simply just moved away from the door. She walked in.

"Are you… okay?" Ryan asked, awkwardly. Summer turned and smiled at him.

"Yeah, I'm fine. And thanks, for earlier, Zach was-"

"It's no problem, Sum. Um, are you looking for Marissa? She's in the pool-" Ryan stopped at the look Summer was giving him, she head her eyebrows up and an amused smile on her lips.

"So, you guys made up?"

"Um, yeah."

"I'm really happy for you guys." To Ryan's surprise, Summer sounded genuine.

"Thanks, Summer. But, yeah, she's in the pool house. I know you guys had a fight, and she really wants make up and all."

"I'm not here to see Marissa, Ryan. I will call her, but I'm… just not…we said a lot of things to each other that we both know are true… but…"

"Oh, ok."

"Yeah. Sorry, I just need some time to sort things out before I can begin to really talk to her, you know?"

"Yeah, I do. And Seth's upstairs."

"I- Thanks. Get back to your girl!" Summer watched as Ryan smiled then _skipped_ out of the room. Who knew Ryan Atwood, Chino, skipped?

Deciding not to ponder on the mystery that is Ryan, Summer skipped on over to Seth's room, momentarily forgetting the nervousness that had plagued her before.

Summer had gotten upstairs and knocked on Seth's door, but no one answered. Deciding that just barging in, uninvited, would be her best bet.

"Co-" She stopped and smiled.

Seth was lying on his bed, curled up on his side with his i-Pod turned up all the way and she could tell he was listening to Phantom Planet's By The Bed. She loved that song. She loved him. She stood there for, like, five minutes before sitting on the edge of his bed, playing with the hem of her shirt. Her outfit had taken her, like, an hour to pick out. She had tried on skirts with tanks, and dresses, and a whole bunch of other combinations until she finally realized that Seth wouldn't care what she was wearing so she through on her comfiest pair of jeans and a black muscle tee. It was simple and easy.

She still had no idea what she was going to say to Cohen when he woke up. Which was now apparently, _Perfect timing, Cohen, give me, like, no time to think how I'm going to tell you I love you._

"Summer?" He practically yelled and Summer visibly winced.

"Uh, Cohen? Headphones?" Summer said in a 'duh' voice, gesturing to his ears. He got the clue and took off the head phones.

"Wh-what are you doing here? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Oh?" Seth, obviously expected a longer explanation, but Summer didn't look like she was about to offer one, instead she got comfy and lied back on his bed beside him. Ok, now, Seth was confused as hell.

Over the past few hours, Seth had given things a lot of thought. His thoughts were all jumbled, he no longer knew what he wanted. He knew he loved her, of course. But he just didn't know what to think. And then there was the whole Zach thing. What if she had slept with him? What if she loved him? What if she didn't? He knew she had a right because he left her. But he was so fucking confused.

"So…I think we should… you know… talk?" Seth slowly asked, wanting to know more about her relationship. Summer just looked at him. "Well, you know, about what happened today?"

"What about it?"

"You know, the things he said…" Seth trailed off, not really wanting to say it out loud. Summer suddenly jumped up and off the bed, while Seth uncomfortably sat up.

"Oh, my god! You think I slept with him!" Summer stated angrily. She couldn't believe this! Her perfect guy turns out to not be so perfect. He thought she had slept with Zach.

"Well, how am I supposed to know? We aren't exactly close anymore, actually we never were, even when we were dating you were distant. Hell, you could've lied about being a virgin!" Summer just stared at him in shock. Seth realized his big mistake and hurriedly tried to cover up. "That's not what I meant, Summer. I-I- that's not how… I- I'm sorry…"

Summer had stopped listening. She simply just walked out, with Seth following her down the stairs. But she still wasn't listening, she was crying, she had tears streaming down her face, but the rest of her was just calm, kind of like she sort of expected it. Like she didn't deserve happiness and that it had finally hit her.

As soon as Seth put his hand on her shoulder she just stopped.

"Don't touch me." Summer growled the words out with such raw emotion, Seth immediately backed off.

Summer left.

Seth stood there in shock. _Stupid, idiot, fucking loser! What the fuck is wrong with you?!_ He was an idiot. That was what was wrong with him. He knew she didn't sleep with Zach. He knew he had been her first. But he **had** to let his damn insecurities get in the way. And now he had hurt her. So bad. She was crying. _He_ made her cry. Sure, he'd made her cry before, but this time, he'd witnessed it. And it made him feel ten times worse.

Summer was driving fast. Really fast. Her eyes were blurry, head pounding, heart breaking. She made the left on Pine. Then the right on Maine. Drove for a mile and a half. Made a right at Mulberry Dr. Then pulled into 364. She killed the engine, but didn't get out of the car, she just sat there for a good ten minutes before deciding she was cold and tired. Only she wasn't, she just made it her reason.

She had made her way into her house and into her room without being noticed, which really wasn't an accomplishment seeing as her father was probably screwing his secretary and her stepmother was probably getting high, if not already, on prescription drugs somewhere. Summer didn't really care. All she wanted to do right now was take a bath and then cry herself to sleep, if she could.

Ok, there ya go. I should get the next chapter up before Saturday. Thanks for all the reviews they are great.


	6. Chapter 6

hbChapter 6

Another Seven Years of Bad Luck

She stood in front of her bathroom mirror, clad in a green terry cloth towel. Her face was pale, her cheeks were sunken in, she looked small. She _felt _small. She was disgusted with herself, with him, with everybody. She looked towards the shelf underneath her mirror and above her sink, a pink bic razor sat alone. She'd never done it before. Only seen it in movies. She stared at it for a good ten minutes, thinking.

She'd done a lot of thinking over the past couple of days, since her fight with Seth. His words hurt her. Cut her. Sliced her open and sucked everything out of her. And she had no idea why it had affected her that much. It was scary to think that one person had so much power of you. And you can't control it, partly because you don't want to, and partly because you want to too much.

She hadn't left her room in three days. She hadn't eaten in three days. She hadn't seen Seth in three days. She was in the worst pain she had ever been in. Because of him. And because she was too weak. She picked the pink razor up and pulled the little plastic cap off and put it against her skin and pressed down… she pulled it away quickly. She couldn't do it. She was too weak to cut herself? She would let others cause her pain, but she won't cause herself pain? That only got her pissed. She threw the razor across the room. Tears now streaming down her face, that's all she ever did, cry. She turned and faced her mirror and threw a punch with her right hand. The glass shattered. Pieces flew all over, pieces of her mirror nicked her skin all over her body. Her hand was bloody, pieces of glass embedded in her skin. Drops of blood hit the floor along with other pieces of the mirror.

_Another seven years of bad luck, _she scoffed,_ as if it would make a difference. _

Her body wracked with sobs as she dropped to the floor, rocking back and forth, clutching her right bloody hand.

She didn't know how long she was there until she heard her cell phone ring. She slowly and pathetically crawled over to her nightstand and picked up her phone, not bothering to look at the caller id, she pressed the green button.

"Hello?" Her voice was shakey.

"Sum?"

"I'll be right over."

Dial tone.

Summer needed someone. Marissa would always be her friend, and she was glad she felt the same way.

Marissa raced up to the Roberts' front door knowing it would be unlocked she opened the door and ran upstairs to Summer's room. Her heart was pounding, she had never heard Summer like that before.

"Summer?" She said as she neared Summer's door. Hearing no response, she went in and immediately stopped. The room was a mess, there were clothes all over the place, there was glass on the floor, and Summer was curled up beside her nightstand, still in her towel and covered in blood.

"Oh, my god, Sum!" Marissa ran over to her distraught friend.

"Marissa? I need you right now. I don't know what's happened to me." She started crying again, truly in need of a friend. Marissa leaned over to the girl and wrapped both arms around and let the lost girl cry.

Marissa had helped Summer clean herself up, she bandaged her hand and listened to Summer explain what had been happening in the past few days. Marissa was shocked, to say the least, that Seth had said that. And shocked at Summer's reaction. Marissa was so worried about her friend and had no idea how to help her.

Summer was surprised at how easily she had told Marissa everything. But also relieved, it felt good to tell someone. She knew she had over reacted, but she didn't do it on purpose, she just blew up, not just because of Seth, but everything; her father, her mother, stepmother, school, Zach, and Marissa. It was an extended rage blackout.

"Marissa?" She turned to Summer. "I'm sorry, for the things I said, I don't know-"

"You were just saying how you felt, and so was I. And I'm sorry too, Sum. These past five days have been hell!" Summer and Marissa hugged for, like, the fifth billionth time that day. But it felt good to have your best friend back.

After the pulled apart, Marissa didn't know how to go about saying this to Summer so she just let it out, totally, randomly.

"I think you have to talk to Seth."

"What?"

"Well, you know, I mean, at some point. He's totally miserable! I mean, like, the only real reason he even gets up in the morning to go to school is to see if you're there, which you haven't been for the past three days, and I _know_ he's called like a billion times." Marissa took a deep breath then shut up.

Summer knew she would have to see him again, and that she would have to go back to school, but… she really didn't want to!

"Yeah, I guess I do."

"So…are you going to school tomorrow?"

"Yeah."

Summer's mind was filled of different scenario's of how tomorrow would go. And she really hoped Seth was as miserable as Marissa said.

I know it's kind of short, but I wanted to post something.

And OMG Seth was hilarious in tonight's episode! The whole 'stealth' thing, and not to mention the extra skin in the wife beater, it really works better on Ry, but still so hot!


	7. Chapter 7

I wasn't going to continue it, but figured i'd better just end it, it's kinda suckybut… so here.

Chapter 7

The End of the World as We Know It

The steps of Harbor were crowded. Summer walked up the steps, a total nervous wreck. What was she going to say to him? Was she even going to say anything to him? Was he even here? _Oh god, oh god , oh god, oh god, oh god!_

"Summer!" Ryan called to her as he was walking towards her. Seth was nowhere in sight.

"Ryan, hi."

"How are you?" Ryan, ever the hero. He was looking at her in pity. She hated that.

"I'm fine." She really wanted to ask, but she couldn't.

"He's already in class. He hasn't been one for pleasantries lately." Ryan, ever the mind reader. "I'm sorry for what he said, but he…he really feels…badly."

"Good." She said the word with such venom that she actually felt bad. "I mean, he was just speaking his mind, right?"

"Yeah, but, you know Seth, he thinks a thousand things a second and somehow always manages to say the least true, or the meanest. You know he didn't mean it, Summer."

Of course she knew that. But it still hurt because she loved him so much. It pained he would even think of something on the vicinity of what he had said. And who knows what else he thought of her.

The bell rang.

"Bye, Ryan. I'll see you later." She put on the fakest smile and walked past the boy who made her notice the love of her life.

Well, she wouldn't have to see him for…. another forty-three minutes and fifty-eight seconds. Joy. Upon entering her first period class, Summer noticed the entire population of that class was staring at her. _Great, make me even more nervous than I already am. I mean really, maybe you'll cause me to have another freak out and this time I'll actually kill myself._ Ignoring the students and her thoughts, Summer took a seat in the back of the class.

They didn't do anything interesting in Earth Science, well not that Summer would know, it wasn't like she listened. Three minutes and twelve seconds. She didn't want to get to lit early, but she didn't want to get to lit late because they would create a grand entrance and she so did not want one today, especially in that class. So she opted for early.

He wasn't there. Yet. Class started in thirty-six seconds.

Twenty-three seconds.

Fifteen seconds.

Seven.

Three.

Seth Cohen walked in the door. And Ryan was right. Seth looked like shit. No, he looked like shit that got hit by a car. He looked around the class expecting to see her, searching her out. His eyes landed on hers in the corner. Hesitantly, he walked towards her, never breaking eye contact. She didn't falter under his gaze, she held it stronger than he did.

Except he got close, and now she was slowly starting to panic. She took a deep breath and nodded to the seat beside her. Seth looked at her gratefully and sat down, finally breaking eye contact.

And then the worst thing happened.

The teacher wasn't there. He had the flu. Who the hell gets the flu in California? And why today?

"Summer, I'm sorry." She just stared at him. Not knowing what to do or say, Seth continued. "I didn't mean what I said, I was being stupid. You of all people should know how stupid I can get. I love you, and it's killing me that I hurt-"

He was cut off by her lips. It was a short, sweet kiss. One that told him she forgave him, that it didn't matter.

"I love you, too." He smiled. She smiled. The whole class smiled. Or laughed, but they didn't care.

Okay, so maybe she shouldn't have forgave him that easily, but he actually said it. He didn't write it in a note, he actually said it. And to her. What was she going to do? She could have yelled at him, but she didn't want to. And it's not like they were together when he said those things. So she kissed him and told him she loved him.

"So, hey, you wanna grab a twist after school?"

"A twist for me and a sundae for you."

"I think I'll have a twist today."

"You're so cheesy, Cohen."

"Yeah, but you love me."

"I really do."

The End

Okay, I could have gone longer but I didn't want to, lol. I had lost interest in writing this story, and this chapter only took me awhile, and it turned out pretty bad, oh well! It's done!


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